Extra Virgin Olive Oil Reviews, Olive Oil News, and More at I Love Olive Oil Blog

Olive oil-based treatment for hemmorhoids?

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Some inventors in Canada are attempting to patent a remedy for treating internal and external hemmorhoids and wounds that involves an olive oil-based cream.

Here is a description of the patent application:

This (Patent) protection covers the process for preparing cream for
wounds and internal and external hemorrhoids which consists of making herbal-oil
extract in three different ways. Vaseline and lanolin are added to this
herbal-oil extract and all is mixed and heated to +40.degree. C. for duration of
about 20-30 minutes, when honey is added continuously mixing, up to +35.degree.
C., when pollen powder is added with mixing until the mass is homogenized, after
which dissolved propolis is added, mixing the mass until it cools of to
25.degree. C. and until the mass is fully homogenized. To repeat, the herbal-oil
extract is made in such way when mix of various herbs in several ways is
extracted with ethanol, then mix with olive oil, then alcohol evaporates leaving
herbal-oil extract, which is used for preparing medicaments for wounds and
hemorrhoids and any other topical use.

Olive oil is good for the skin, so it's not surprising it would be incorporated in this way in such a cream.

Australian olive oil lovers get some assurance from ALDI

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:15:00 +0000

German grocer ALDI apparently has signed on in support of the Australian Olive Association's voluntary standards for selling olive oil in that country. This essentially means the supermarket chain will do its best to sell extra virgin olive oil that is indeed extra virgin olive oil -- and not a lesser grade under that label.

The report from Food magazine, an Australian trade publication, said ALDI was the first to sign up to the AOA's Industry Code of Practice. ALDI wants to guarantee that it is indeed selling EVOO to its customers, with it is Australian or imported.

Quitting la dolce vita

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:38:00 +0000

I just read an interesting story about a British couple who uprooted themselves from their life in London to go become olive farmers in Italy. But after a couple years, they realized they had made a mistake and returned to England.

The article, published in The Daily Mail, is worth the read, especially if you're one of those people who fantasizes about running off to become an olive farmer, make olive oil, and enjoy a permanent holiday in the Mediterranean. I spent five months one year of a winter in Greece, harvesting olives with my grandparents, who are farmers.

Let me tell you now: it was not a vacation. It was the most physically demanding labor I had ever done. I vividly remember finishing the harvest and vowing to never do it again. It is largely a manual affair, you see. Very rough on the hands and back as in many instances, you have to climb trees, stretch yourself into odd positions, and work a saw or chainsaw for 8-10 hours a day.

Definitely not la dolce vita. Here's the beginning of the Mail article -- come back and let me knkow what you thought of this story:

When Cathy Rogers and her partner Jason Gibb quit their jobs to buy an olive grove in October 2005, their friends could barely conceal their envy. Little surprise, given that they were pursuing the dream so many of us have of escaping the rat race.

With plans to run their own business selling olive oil, and with the warm Italian climate beckoning, Cathy and Jason seemed on a one-way trip to a life of true contentment.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1211092/Not-dolce-vita-How-British-couple-quit-rat-race-make-olive-oil-Italy--place-like-home.html#ixzz0QL0XmFL1

And here is the rest of it.

Carter & Cavero opens second New Jersey store

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Carter & Cavero, the first store in New Jersey to introduce the concept of "fresh olive oil" bottled for consumers, has opened a second location in the state.

This is good news for the East Coast, as the concept of such stores appear to have taken off more in the Chicago, Midwest and California areas. Having visited the first Carter & Cavero store in Red Bank, N.J., and chatted with the owners, it's no surprise that they seem to be doing well and are branching out.

The new store is in Long Branch, N.J., in what appears to be a touristy spot on the Jersey Shore. Hopefully it's a great location for gift-buyers and walk-in traffic. ILoveOliveOilBlog wishes them luck.

To see a video I produced of Carter & Cavero's first store, just take a look below:

Syria's olive oil industry criticized

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Syria, one of the world's largest producers of olive oil, was criticized in a United Nations report for having an industry that isn't environmentally friendly when it comes to disposing of its olive oil production waste.

The report from IRIN News, a project of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said the waste products from olive oil processing mills are causing soil and water pollution.

“The water used in the process and then discarded is often just pumped out onto surrounding land,” environment expert Marwan Dimashki told IRIN.

Go to the full report.

Personal opinion: My guess is that there are several countries whose olive oil waste processes deserve to be more closely scrutinized.

Martha Stewart's olive oil tips

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:00:00 +0000

In her weekly Ask Martha column, the home food diva first deals with olive oil, among several questions. The question: "How do the grades of olive oil differ, and which kind should I use for everyday cooking?"

Here's her answer:

Extra-virgin olive oil, made from the first pressing of olives after harvest, has a bright, fruity taste. Neither heat nor chemicals are used to extract the oil (hence the labels “cold pressed’’ or “cold extraction’’), so it is the freshest and the most healthful olive oil. Virgin olive oil is also extracted without heat or chemicals but is more acidic than extra-virgin and may not be from the first pressing. Bottles labeled “olive oil’’ or “pure olive oil’’ typically contain blends from second or third pressings, with virgin or extra-virgin oil added for flavor.

In the past, the price of extra-virgin olive oil limited its use, but affordable bottles are now widely available and are even preferred. Ideally, you should keep two kinds of extra-virgin oil on hand: an inexpensive one for cooking and a premium one for dishes that will showcase its nuanced flavor and aroma. Both characteristics diminish when an oil is heated, so use the everyday one when sauteing, grilling, making sauces or baking. Serve your best oil drizzled over roasted vegetables, whisked into a vinaigrette, tossed with pasta, or simply on its own with a loaf of crusty bread. Oils can turn rancid with exposure to heat or light, or simply with age. To prevent this, store olive oils in a cool, dark place; they will keep for about a year.

For the full column, check it out in the Boston Globe.

Here is the beginning of my post.And here is the rest of it.

Man pays nearly $2,000 for 'antique' that's really a 1-year-old olive oil bottle

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:16:00 +0000

A man who brought what he thought was a valuable antique glass bottle a taping of the Antiques Roadshow in Britain was shocked to learn he had paid 1,000 pounds (or over $1,600 US) for a 1-year-old empty bottle of olive oil.

Zing!

The collector was crushed and embarassed to learn that the bottle he had paid so much money for was really just a cheap supermarket container from the Tesco chain, according to various newspapers in the United Kingdom. (Left is an example of a Tesco olive oil bottle.)

The BBC show has declined to air the footage where the collector is told the bottle was a fake.

All that money for a cheap glass bottle! And it didn't even have any olive oil in it. The poor guy.

Olive Oil cake recipes

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Looking for something different to make your family and friends using olive oil?

Let them eat cake!

Below are five recipes for cake made with yummy olive oil, with some that offer a hint of citrus baked in. Hint: splurge and use good extra virgin oil -- not just regular virgin -- if you really, really love the taste of olive oil and want it to stand out.

* Lemon Olive Oil Cake via Epicurious.

* The Food Network's Olive Oil Cake recipe.

* A blood orange olive oil cake, courtesy of The New York Times.

* Olive oil Bundt cake with tangerine glaze, via Chow. (I love a good Bundt!)

* Rosemary and olive oil cake (pictured), via the Ulterior Epicure blog. (Perhaps the simplest recipe of the five!)

(Photo from Ulterior Epicure via Flickr.com)

Tips for storing olive oil

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:46:00 +0000

Storing olive oil is quite simple. Here are a few things to think about in buying olive oil and figuring out how to store it.

*) The greatest enemies of olive oil are direct light, air and heat. Try to buy olive oil in dark bottles or tins, which shield the oil from light.

*) If you have room, try to buy your olive oil in bulk, say in a large container or tin, which you can then store in a cool place in your house, such as a basement. Pour only the oil that you'll need and use for a week or two into a smaller container for use in your kitchen. Why? Because olive oil maintains its freshness best in bulk and each time there's a transfer from large to small container, the oil is exposed to air and light that further degrade its quality.

*) You can refrigerate olive oil! Remember: olive oil is essentially a fruit juice, and refrigeration slows its molecular decomposition. When you refrigerate olive oil, it will turn into a soft solid. This is fine. You can spread the olive oil on bread, almost like butter, or you can wait for it to thaw and use it in liquid form.

*) Don't store your olive oil on or near your stove. The regular heat will hasten its deterioration process. Only keep a few days worth handy, while storing a larger container of it in a cool place, away from heat and light.

In the photo above, my Greek grandmother transfers her home-grown olive oil from a large storage vat into smaller tins for shipment to her family in the United States.

Major U.S. olive oil conference coming to University of California-Davis

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:54:00 +0000

California has led the way in the development of an olive oil culture and industry that's unique to the United States. And the folks at the University of California-Davis have been helping to support the industry for about two decades now.

So, it comes as no surprise that UC-Davis, and its new Olive Center, are planning the first major international conference of its kind for the U.S. The three day conference is scheduled for June 21-23 at UC-Davis, a short distance away from prominent wine-growing regions (Napa, Sonoma) that are also starting to experiment with olive oil production.

Dan Flynn, executive director of the UC-Davis Olive Center, told me the event is the first of its kind for the center and the largest of its kind in the U.S. geared toward exploring excellence in olive oil. For those familiar with Napa gourmet, the event will be closely tied with the Culinary Institute of America.

Foodies and food opinion leaders are expected to attend, such as chefs, journalists, restaurateurs, retailers, producers, and food buyers. The speakers' list is a good mix of U.S. and international experts (including a few from Greece!)

Who knows? Maybe a certain olive oil blogger will be there. :-)

The conference costs $495. You can see more details andthe conference schedule here.

1st Annual California Olive Oil Council competition results

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:35:00 +0000

The California Olive Oil Council stepped up to the plate and launched its own annual competition. There have been a smattering of olive oil competitions in California, but the COOC is recognized as the authority on olive oil, and the protector and enforcer of standards.

In olive oil, standards are a good thing.

In the COOC's first annual competition, we recognize a number of familiar producers, some of whom have been featured on this blog and others I personally have tasted but have not yet written about.

For someone who is unfamiliar with California olive oil, you can start by sampling oils from this list of winners (or do some reading of my reviews here).

The top winners are below. Hit the jump for the rest:

CALIFORNIA OLIVE OIL COUNCIL
FIRST ANNUAL COMPETITION 2009

BEST OF SHOW-
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: LUCERO OLIVE OIL ASCOLANO

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
o
APOLLO OLIVE OIL-MISTRAL BLEND
o
BELLE VUE
o
BOZZANO OLIVE RANCH-A2
o
CALIFORNIA OLIVE RANCH-ARBEQUINA
o
CALIFORNIA OLIVE RANCH-ARBOSANA
o
CALOLEA
o
ELIXIR OLIVE OIL-ALLEGRA
o
ELIXIR OLIVE OIL-GRAZIA
o
HILLSTONE OLIVE OIL-ARBEQUINA
o
JAEGER FAMILY OLIVE OIL
o
JOELLE OLIVE OIL-BAROUNI
o
JOELLE OLIVE OIL-MISSION BLEND
o
LUCERO OLIVE OIL-ASCOLANO
o
LUCERO OLIVE OIL-MISSION
o
MILAGROS OLIVE OIL
o
PACIFIC SUN-TEHAMA COUNTY BLEND
o
PACIFIC SUN-PROPRIETOR’-S SELECT-ASCOLANO
o
PEPI’S OLIVE OIL
o
QUINTA DO SOL-SINFONIA UM
o
STONE EDGE VINEYARDS
o
STORM OLIVE RANCH
o
TERRA BELLA VISTA
o
TRES OSOS
o
VILLA MILLE ROSE

SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
o
ALLURE ESTATES
o
APOLLO OLIVE OIL-BAROUNI
o
APOLLO OLIVE OIL SIERRA BLEND
o
BARI OLIVE OIL-FRUITY
o
BARI OLIVE OIL-TRADITIONAL
o
BAVA FAMILY GROVE
o
BELLA SUN LUCI-MOONEY FARMS
o
BOZZANO OLIVE RANCH GENERATIONS
o
BOZZANO OLVIE RANCH TOSCANO
o
CALIFORNIA GOLD-ESTATE BLEND
o
CALIFORNIA OLIVE RANCH-KORONEIKI
o
CALIVIRGIN-COLDANI OLIVE RANCH
o
CARNEROS OLIVE OIL
o
CARRIAGE VINEYARDS-ARBEQUINA
o
CARRIAGE VINEYARDS MANZANILLO
o
CALIFORNIA KORONEIKI
o
CORTO OLIVE OIL
o
DEERCREEK BLEND
o
DUTCH HENRY WINERY
o
ELIXIR-CALIFORNIA
o
ELIXIR-FORZA
o
EGG RANCH
o
HARRIS RANCH NAPA VALLEY
o
HAWK’S FEATHER OLIVETO
o
INK GRADE FARM
o
JOSEPH PHELPS VINEYARDS
o
JOVIA GROVES
o
KALAMATA QUEEN-OLIVE GROVE NURSERY
o
KATZ’ CHEF’S PICK
o
KATZ ROCK HILL RANCH
o
LONE OAK OLIVE OIL
o
LUCERO OLIVE OIL-ARBEQUINA
o
LUCERO OLIVE OIL-FRANTOIO
o
LUCERO OLIVE OIL-SEVILLANO
o
MONTEMAGGIORE WINERY
o
OLINDA RIDGE ESTATE- MISSION BLEND
o
OLIODESSA OLIVE OIL
o
OLIO BELLO D’OLIVO FILTERED
o
OLIO NUEVO ESTATE ARBEQUINA
o
QUARTETTO VIOLA
o
QUINTA DO SOL-SINFONIA DOIS
o
QUINTA DO SOL-SINFONIA TRES
o
REGINA-DICKSON NAPA RANCH
o
ROBINSON ROAD OLIVE RANCH
o
ROUND POND ESTATE-ITALIAN BLEND
o
ROUND POND ESTATE-SPANISH BLEND
o
RUBICON NAPA ESTATE
o
SALTONSTALL ESTATE
o
SISTER JULIE’S-STARCROSS MONASTERY
o
SORELLE PARADISO ESTATE
o
TABER RANCH
o
TEMPLAR-NAPA VALLEY
o
TERRACE HILL ESTATE RESERVE
FLAVORED OILS
BEST OF SHOW FLAVORED OIL: ROUND POND MEYER LEMON
GOLD
o
OLIODESSA EUREKA LEMON
o
ROUND POND ESTATE BLOOD ORANGE
o
ROUND POND ESTATE MEYER LEMON
o
TERRACE HILL-TUSCAN SUNSET
o
TIBER CANYON RANCH-YUZU CITRUS
SILVER
o
DRY CREEK BLOOD ORANGE
o
LUCERO OLIVE OIL-MANDARIN

Online Olive Oil Tasting: Our next event!!

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:46:00 +0000

Vom Fass USA, a gourmet purveyor of fine olive oils, will be leading our next online olive oil tasting over at Olive Oil Tasters. Check it out! Become a site member! (It's free and takes a minute to join.)

David Eisner-Kleyle, of Vom Fass, will be leading an online tasting of three oils. David has been so thoughtful as to customize the selection with smaller samples, so us olive oil aficionados can sample without spending tons of money on larger bottles. He put together a sampler set that is about $12 -- but with a 20 percent discount.

To get the discount, sign up for the event at Olive Oil Tasters, and you'll get a link to a coupon code that you can use when you order.

Then, on March 22nd at 4 p.m. EASTERN, join us at Olive Oil Tasters for a live online tasting. David will use UStream, an easy-to-use live-video-streaming website, to lead us through the tasting, answer our questions, and interact with us. It's a fun format, especially for those of us who are foodie geeks. :-)

Let me know if you want to participate! Don't forget to sign up over at Olive Oil Tasters!

Review: Trader Joe's Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Trader Joe's is generally a well-respected chain grocery store in the United States, with good fresh products and often healthy packaged and frozen foods. Their prices are very appealing to budget-conscious consumers. Their olive oil offerings are no different: affordable and somewhat diverse. You can get Italian, Spanish, Greek and California oils there. (I reviewed one of their California oils a while back.)

At a store recently, I noticed how most of their olive oil selections -- which has more than doubled in the few years I've regularly shopped there -- are below $10. That said, they offer a good selection of entry-level oils for the consumer who's not yet ready to make the (price) jump to true gourmet olive oils.

I tasted the Trader Joe's Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain on Sunday, Jan. 11, as part of a group online tasting I organized over at ILoveOliveOil.ning.com for the Olive Oil Tasters network. As I promised those folks, my review will incorporate not only my impressions, but theirs as well. And at the end of the post, if you're curious, you can read the transcript of our olive oil tasting. (Gotta love the Web!)

So, hit the jump for the rest of the show!

Some quick facts: The Trader Joe's organic extra virgin olive oil claims on the bottle that it is a product of Spain. It gave a "best before" date of 2010. It did not list any varietals that might have been pressed into making the oil. In short, TJ's did a decent job with disclosing some info about the oil, but not others. All of us tasters agreed that we want to start seeing the date when the oil is pressed, produced and/or bottled.

It's important to note that during the tasting, myself and Olive Oil Taster member Susan O'R. both were having similar negative experiences, while Jeff and Cathy's tasting was more pleasurable. We figured out that Susan and I had a bottle that was probably at least a year older than Jeff and Cathy's -- so their newer bottle was fresher and that's probably why it tasted better to them.

Per my own methodology I use during these tastings, I judged the oil on Aroma, Taste and overall Harmony.

For Aroma, I smelled a tinny, metallic and/or chemical undertone. There was little hint of "freshness." It was neither floral, grassy or herbaceous -- just a flat, monotone aroma. I called it average in the Aroma category. Score: 3 out of 5.

Some other taster's noted:

* Susan: "I find this oil to have a chemical odor."
* Jeff & CathY: "like a mild herb."

For Taste, the oil was thick and viscous. It was also nearly immediately peppery and induced a cough if I breathed in some air with my sip. But it wasn't a pleasing taste, and it was dull. Not vibrant or fresh-tasting. Score: 4 out of 8.

Some other tasters' notes:

* Susan: "i find the oil to be greasy with a peppery finish."
* Jeff & Cathy: "it has an thick texture, but I like how it cleans up towards the back of the tongue pretty quickly"

For overall Harmony, I have to say that I believe this oil was past its prime by the time I decided to pluck it off the store shelf at the Trader Joe's. So, next time, if I do buy more oil from there, I will take a much closer look at the bottle labels and make sure I buy an oil whose "best before" date is as far out into the future as possible. I think the aroma and taste elements of the oil had fallen apart: I was smelling metal but tasting pepper and then, flatness. Score: 6 out of 12.

Total Score: 13 out of 25.
Rating: Average

I suspect when the oil was fresher, it might have been pretty good overall. But as I tasted it, it was mediocre. I would not use it as a finishing oil on soups and salads or even toasted breads. I would use it for light sauteeing and maybe some baking. 'Tis a shame, because some of the other olive oils I bought from Trader Joe's in the past were quite good, including a Greek and a Californian.

Interested in our group tasting experience? Take a peek at the transcript below. If you're interested in online tasting events and discounts on olive oil, you should join the Olive Oil Tasters network at ILoveOliveOil.ning.com!!!

Scattershooting around the world of olive oil

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:54:00 +0000

Arnold, a faithful reader, sent me a bunch of emails a few days ago where he shared tons of great info and sparked my imagination.

For one, after writing a little bit about the goodness of "olio nuovo" -- that first pressing of olives at the beginning of the harvest and production of olive oil -- Arnold sent me a list of how the term is translated across some countries in Europe. Here it is:

France: l'huile d'olive nouvelle
Northern Italy: Olio Nuovo
Southern Italy: Olio Novello
Spain: Aceite Nuevo
Catalunya (Barcelona Region): Oli Nou

Arnold told me he got the info about how it's called in Spain from the owners of the Mothers Garden Farm in Catalunya Spain. Here is the link to his website: www.mothersgarden.org (It's a spot popular now with Brits, Arnold learned from the owner.)

Arnold also mentioned a recent conversation he had with Darrell Corti -- of the famed Corti Bros. store in Sacramento, California -- where Mr. Corti suggested that "olio nuovo" hadn't taken off in the U.S.A. because it was too strong for American palates. While that may be true, I still think the notion of the freshest of the fresh olive oil is a notion that will catch on with Americans. But many don't even know it exists.

Arnold also pointed me to Corti Bros.' holiday newsletter. For true olive oil lovers, you can find rare implements for enjoying olive oil. Check out the very sleek Pianogrillo olive oil server and the official tasting glasses (the little blue ones) of the international olive oil tasting community.

In other news, here's an update on California olive oil industry, specifically in the Napa and Sonoma regions. Apparently, the term "extra virgin olive oil" was the phrase during one contest on the Wheel of Fortune. (It's about time!)

And you know it's olive oil season in California when reporters flock to the bigger producers to write romantic features about making olive oil. Round Pond, of Napa, got featured in this San Francisco Chronicle story. (Round Pond makes very fine olive oils.)

What else is going on in your world of olive oil?

Our First Sunday Social

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:49:00 +0000

We held our first Sunday Social today and it was a lot of fun (at least for an olive oil geek like yours truly.)

Steve, from Washington, was my co-host. I tasted an unfiltered organic Nunez de Prado, a Spanish oil that I had hoped would be better than it was. Steve tasted a MacEvoy Ranch 2007 blend of a bunch of olive types.

Rick Petrocelly of The Olive Tap stopped by for a chat. So did Jim Preston, a lucky man who's able to taste a lot of both California wine and olive oil. Kathleen C. also paid a visit, tasted some Stew Leonard store-brand oil with us, and joined our little club, Olive Oil Tasters over at ILoveOliveOil.ning.com. A lady named Sue also paid us a visit.

The socials are meant to be a free form hour of tasting olive oil with aficionados. Hope you can stop by for our next one. Check our schedule at ILoveOliveOil.ning.com.

Our next tasting event is on Jan. 18, (Sunday) at 4 PM (Eastern). We're tasting two rare, hard-to-find Italian olive oils and the two small business owners (Rachel Black of Amelia Oil, and Anthony Nicalo of Farmstead Wines)who bring them to North America will be leading our tasting.

They're also kind enough to give us a 20 percent discount on their oils (and Anthony offers free shipping for his oil). So, order soon -- because only 20 "Olive Oil Taster" members can get the discount! Come taste with us!

In the meantime, here's a transcript of our social from today.

The Sunday Social TODAY!!!

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:27:00 +0000

Today is our first SUNDAY SOCIAL! woohoo!

Join us at Olive Oil Tasters at 4 PM (Eastern) for an online hour of tasting and chatting with fellow olive oil aficionados about whatever oil we all happened to be tasting on a (hopefully) lazy Sunday afternoon.

No need to do anything special. Just grab an olive oil in your kitchen, a tasting glass (a wine glass will suffice) and meet us at Olive Oil Tasters at 4 PM today. Tell us your taste!

Olive Oil Tasters! Come join us!

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:29:00 +0000

I've been writing about olive oil here for nearly two years and it's been a wonderful experience. I love the social aspect of tastings, whether it's olive oil or wine or cheese.

Unfortunately, as a blogger/reviewer, much of what I do is done on my own or with my wife, whose palate is not too dissimilar from mine. So, for awhile now, I've been kicking 'round ideas on how to weave the power of the web and social media into my passion for olive oil. And I came up with "Olive Oil Tasters."

Visit Olive Oil Tasters!

It is a network over at my other site -- ILoveOliveOil.ning.com -- where members are joining because they share a common passion: olive oil. Some are producers or retailers of olive oil -- hailing from different parts of the world. Others are consumers: writers, chefs, and big-time fans with a serious hankering for good olive oil.

The idea is to organize online tastings every few weeks, led by a few "experts" and/or the producers and sellers of the oil. Limited discounts will occasionally be available for oils selected for tastings. And, I'm encouraging producers/sellers to offer their own discounts whenever they see fit, to others in the network.

Our first online tasting will be in the third week of January. Stay tuned for more details later this week.

So, why not join? It's free. You could end up discovering some great olive oil -- and the interesting people behind their production.

What to look for: "Olio Nuovo"

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:35:00 +0000

It's that time of year again, when ambitious olive oil makers put out small batches of their earliest presses of the olive fruit and call it "olio nuovo" -- literally "new oil" in Italian. Such oil is usually extremely tasty and vibrant, a celebration of the annual harvest. But it also typically doesn't keep long because it tends to be less filtered, and contains more sediment.

So, while your average extra virgin olive oil bottle can keep well for about two years under the right conditions, some makers recommend a bottle of "olio nuovo" is meant to be consumed -- joyously -- in about three to six months because the added olive sediment in the bottle makes it more perishable.

Last year, I had the pleasure to taste and write about two fabulous "olio nuovos" from two California producers, one small (Jovia Groves) and one large (California Olive Ranch). I'm looking for more olio nuovos to write about this year, so if you're a producer, shoot me a sample at the following address: Costas The Greek, PO Box 33217, Baltimore, MD 21218.

In the meantime, I'd like to start compiling a list of worldwide producers who offer annual selections of "olio nuovos." Feel free to leave links in the comments below. I need your help in building the list as a resource for olive oil lovers the world over!

Hit the jump for my own short list of what I've found so far:

The Olio Nuovo List:

* Reader Arnold Ambiel tipped us off to Casa di Case's annual "olio nuovo" love-fest, celebrating the arrival of the oil from Italy's Umbria region. The San Francisco importers have a big release party for the oil on Dec. 7th. They offer ordering through their Website.

* Stonehouse Olive Oil Co., of California, also offers an "olio nuovo" thru their Website, reader Arnold A. noted.

* Pasolivo, an award-winning producer in Central California, is offering pre-orders of its "olio nuovo" in time for the winter holidays. Check out its website.

* Looking for organic "olio nuovo"? Check out LocalHarvest.org, where they're selling Katz's "December's new oil."

(ILoveOliveOilBlog needs your help! Know of a good "olio nuovo"? Tip us off in the comment section below.)

Olives in hat

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 23:49:00 +0000

olives in Hat
Originally uploaded by Rene, Palestine Girl

A bunch of great new photos were added to the olive oil Flickr group, including the one above. Hope you check them out!

Big News: Connecticut First In United States to Adopt Extra Virgin Olive Oil Standards

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:56:00 +0000

We learned today the tiny state of Connecticut, in the northeastern United States, is apparently the first place in the country to adopt an olive oil standard that seeks to limit adulterated (or unpure) olive oil.

A Norwalk, Conn., importer complained about olive oil that was being marketed as "extra virgin," but was really far from pure. State officials ran tests on the oil and found it contained other oils.

“The Department of Consumer Protection has found instances in which olive oil being sold in Connecticut was actually a mixture of soy oil with some low-grade olive pomace oil,” according to Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr. “The switch was not discernable by way of sight or taste, but only through chemical testing. Since many state residents are severely allergic to certain types of nuts or soybeans, an unknown exposure could prove fatal.”

The law will allow them to go after, and punish, olive oil maker/importers who mislabel a product as "extra virgin," when it really also contains other kinds of cheaper, potentially harmful olive oil. Especially for people who suffer from nut allergies.

It's interesting that the federal government has been slow-footed on this issue, and states are starting to take it up as a cause. Connecticut officials said that California will be the next state, early next year, to adopt stronger measures on "EVOO" labelling. It appears the state is adopting the International Olive Council's definitions of extra virgin, virgin and pomace oils. (Which is a start. Some in the industry say those standards aren't high enough anymore.)

Still this is great, important news coming out of Connecticut, which doesn't even have its own olive oil industry! Most consumers probably won't appreciate how important this is for the future of an important food staple in this country. Sadly, it is difficult to find well-written and researched news articles about this news coming out of Connecticut.

The most facts came out of a press release posted here. Learn more at Connecticut's consumer protection website.

UPDATE: Just spotted this good story from the International Herald Tribune.

Virtual Olive Oil Tasting over at ILoveOliveOil.ning.com?

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:35:00 +0000

Most of us may have to travel a good distance to be a part of a fancy-schmancy olive oil tasting. But thanks to the Web, we can get the benefit of tasting and sharing our thoughts about an olive oil without having to leave our kitchens or dining rooms. (Which maybe isn't such a bad option in these rough economic times!)

I'm kicking around the idea of using Twitter to host a "virtual" olive oil tastings over on my companion site, ILoveOliveOil.ning.com. Basically, we'd all agree on a time and a bottle of olive oil to taste, and give ourselves an hour or so to run the bottle through its paces.

My hope is that maybe we can get an occasional guest expert to moderate the virtual tasting. (I don't claim to be a know it all!)

Whatcha think? Would you participate? Have any recommendations for a good, relatively easy to find bottle of olive oil for us to try? How would you do it and what would you be interested about the most?

P.S. Follow me via twitter at "twitter.com/iloveoliveoil." Seeya!

Costas

Olive Oil of the Month Clubs

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:48:00 +0000

Have you started thinking yet about holiday gifts for the foodies among your friends and relatives?

My wife and I have tried a good wine of the month club, but we haven't yet ventured to try any "of the month clubs" that specialize in olive oil. What follows is a list of such clubs I compiled based on my own research.

Hold on a sec, though: I'm not personally recommending any of these clubs, yet, because I've never ordered from them. Instead, I'm hoping that readers who have tried these clubs will leave a note in the comments to let us know what they thought of the club. Or, if you know of a club that should be mentioned, please add in the comments, too.

As a consumer, a few tips to look for when gifting olive oil through a club: 1) figure out the size of the bottles that will be gifted -- if you're paying about $23 to $25/month for one 250 mL bottle, that's a lot of $$$!!!; 2) try to figure out the brands of the oil that will be included in your gift; 3) ask how old the oils are, and 4) ask if the oils are straight olive oil, or flavored, i.e. infused with garlic or basil. (Of course, if you love one type of olive oil from a farm you visited in California or Italy, for instance, why not just ship that one to your friends and family?)

But if you want variety and want to go the club route, here are some "olive oil of the month" clubs I found, in alphabetical order:

* Amazing Clubs. 3, 6, 12 month gift packages. Or once a quarter. Starting: $23.95/month.

* Amazon.com. 3, 6, 12 month or seasonal gift packages. Starting: $74.85/3 months.

* iGourmet. 3, 6, 12 month gift packages. Starting: $89.99/3 months. (Note: Each month's olive oil selection is previewed on the site.)

* Month Club Store. 3, 6, 9, or 12 month gift packages. Starting: $74.99/3 months.

* Olive Oils Direct. $25/month. (Note: Website says it'll ship a "regular size" bottle each month -- ummm, what's that mean?)

* Overstock.com. 3, 6, 9, 12 month or seasonal gift packages. Starting: $99/3 months.

* The Flying Noodle. 3, 6, 12 month or seasonal gift packages. Starting: $23.95/month.

* Zingerman's. Not monthly, but sent in "installments." Starting: $150 for two installments of two oils each, plus dipping dish and artisan bread. (Note: It's billed as a "Rare Olive Oil Club" and it is pricey.)

Have you tried any of these clubs and liked them? Or wouldn't recommend them? Leave us a note below. Or please tip us off to a club that's not listed here. (For this list, we're looking for clubs that expose consumers to different olive oil brands each month.) Thanks!

Are you in an olive oil club?

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:05:00 +0000

Have you ever joined a "wine of the month" club? Or a cake of the month? Or any other "of the month" club?

I'm compiling a list of websites and businesses that offer subscription to an "olive oil of the month" type of experience? Do you have a favorite one?

I'm not interested in olive oil producers that offer their own club -- so many of them do that nowadays. I am, however, interested in independent clubs that give their members a taste of olive oil from different makers.

If you know of any good ones, drop me a referral in the comments below and I'll try to compile a list by the end of the week. Thanks!

Focaccia

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:45:00 +0000

Focaccia
Originally uploaded by Andreea - www.onfoodandwine.com

Fun focaccia (and olive oil) photo!

Thanks to Andreea, from over at the On Food and Wine blog for posting this photo at our "olive oil" group on Flickr.com.

People have been steadily uploading their olive oil photos over there. You should check them out.

Olive Oil Review: Golden Olive Eleni

costasthegreek@gmail.com (By Costas the Greek) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:00:00 +0000

Golden Olive Eleni is a very good Greek olive oil. There are some foodies who've sworn off Greek olive oil because they say it's too strong. (Why do you think Greek men have so much hair on their chest? It's the super-strong olive oil, that's why!)

Seriously, we know Greek olive oil is pungent and sometimes very peppery. Yet Golden Olive Eleni, which is produced and imported by Basil and Helen Koutalianos, is a little more gentle on the palate. (Here's the website for Basil Olive Oil Products.)

The couple has their oil disseminated to six stores in western Canada, the last I checked -- see the stores here.

I sampled a 250 mL bottle, though it's not clear from the website if that small of a size is offered for individual retail size. A 500 mL bottle sells for $30, putting it well into the high-end of what most consumers are probably willing to pay. Hit the jump for the rest of my review.

I liked Golden Olive Eleni's labeling. It was clear and distinctive, and packed with good information for the consumer. It claimed to be "certified organic" by British Columbia and to have an acidity of under 0.08 percent. The bottle also indicated that the oil was "new harvest" and "unfiltered."

And most importantly, it gave a harvest date -- my bottle said November 2007 -- and a "best before" date, which was simply 2009. So basically, it said to use the oil in less than two years. That's pretty good advice.

As with all my reviews, I scored Golden Olive Eleni in three categories: Aroma (5 max) Taste (8 max) and overall Harmony (12 max). (To see an explanation of the "Top 25" scoring system, click here.)

For Aroma, I noted a deep, complex and rich body to the oil -- one that was not excessively peppery. It had a roasted vegetable aroma, with a hint of garlic followed by a tinge of cucumber and green leaf at the end. I described it as "savory" to my wife; she said the aroma evoked in her the smells of roasted squash and warmed butter.

Score: 5 out of 5.

For Taste, I picked up a slight burn of pepper. The oil had a medium viscosity -- not too thick, not too thin. Overall, I found it to be very delicate and mild, especially for a Greek oil. It's aroma was stronger than its taste, which was quite smooth and not harsh or aggressive. The last tasting note I picked up: cucumber.

Score: 5 out of 8.

For overall Harmony, I had to consider that the oil that I was tasting out of the fine bottle was almost a year old. Perhaps that may explain why it was so delicate and mild? Had the oil mellowed a tad in the bottle? This is not a bad thing. In fact, some people want their strong olive oil to soften a bit over time. For Golden Olive Eleni, I would like to see more assertiveness. I look forward to trying their new harvest this year.

Score: 8 out of 12.

Total score: 18 out of 25.
Rating: Premium.